£22m plan to move health staff out of capital axed as 'waste of cash'

Published on Tuesday 28 August 2007 00:51

A PLAN to relocate more than 300 healthcare experts from Edinburgh to Glasgow was scrapped yesterday, after ministers decided it would be a waste of money.

Under the previous Labour Executive's controversial relocation policy, it was recommended that NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS), NHS Health Scotland (HS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) should be moved out of the capital.

Following the move of Scottish Natural Heritage to Inverness at an estimated cost of 30 million, the plan caused concern among MSPs and workers in the capital.

NHS QIS, the health services watchdog, had even warned that patients would be put at risk because of the loss of staff to carry out essential healthcare work.

However, Shona Robison, the minister for public health, has now decided against the move.

She said the 22 million cost of moving staff would be better spent on frontline services.

It is the second time that the SNP-led Executive has come down in favour of the capital. Last month, ministers decided to keep a new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh.

Staff at the NHS organisations last night welcomed Ms Robison's decision, but Labour insisted the NHS bodies should be going to Glasgow, where there is most need in addressing health inequalities.

The recommendation to move the NHS boards to Glasgow was made in July 2005. It was immediately unpopular, with the majority of staff at NHS QIS claiming they would be unable to leave, therefore causing problems in the service.

Ms Robison sympathised with staff over the two years of uncertainty they had faced. She said: "The 22 million will be better invested in frontline services and in tackling health inequalities - a big challenge in the city of Glasgow."

Ms Robison confirmed that the existing Glasgow-based staff of a fourth special health board, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and existing Glasgow-based staff from QIS, NES and HS would remain in the city.

Aileen Stewart, the Scottish healthcare branch secretary for Unison, pointed out that the union was not against the relocation of jobs in principle, but where it was "unnecessary and expensive".

She added: "In these specific cases [involving the NHS boards], relocation of already widely dispersed NHS services made little sense and threatened disruption to the service and expense, increased travel times and potential job losses for staff."

However, Andy Kerr, Labour's health spokesman, insisted the move would have been in the best interests of the NHS.

He said: "This decision is disappointing and I would express doubt over the 22 million savings the SNP claim they will make."

The new Executive is currently carrying out a review of the relocation policy, and Mr Kerr raised concerns for further plans to spread civil service jobs around the country.

QUANGO JOBS ON THE MOVE

Major quangos to be moved from Edinburgh

• Scottish Natural Heritage went to Inverness;

• Transport Scotland went to Glasgow;

• Accountant in Bankruptcy went to Kilwinning;

• Scottish Public Pensions Agency went to Galashiels;

• Enterprise Transport & Life-Long Learning went to Glasgow.

Edinburgh quangos under consideration

Registers of Scotland, with more than 1,000 staff;

• Creative Scotland, a new body with 100 staff;

• Scottish Funding Council, with 163 staff.